The United States International Trade Commission (ITC) today made negative determinations in
connection with the second remand of its reconsideration proceedings pertaining to its final
countervailing duty and antidumping investigations of imports of ferrosilicon from Brazil, China,
Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine, and Venezuela.

The Commission found on second remand that that a U.S. industry was not materially injured or
threatened with material injury by reason of imports of ferrosilicon from Brazil, China,
Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine, and Venezuela that the Department of Commerce determined were
being sold in the United States at less than fair value, and those from Venezuela that were being
subsidized, at the time of the Commission's original investigations. Chairman Deanna Tanner
Okun, Vice Chairman Jennifer A. Hillman, and Commissioners Marcia E. Miller and Stephen
Koplan voted in the negative.

The Commission will transmit its determinations on second remand to the U.S. Court of
International Trade by September 16, 2003.

The cases were remanded to the ITC by the U.S. Court of International Trade (CIT) on June 18,
2003. The CIT's remand concerned the Commission's August 1999 negative determinations upon
reconsideration of earlier affirmative determinations regarding these imports and its September
2002 remand determinations, which were also negative.

On April 28, 1998, the Commission received a request to review its affirmative determination as it
applied to imports of ferrosilicon from Brazil in light of changed circumstances. The request
concerned only imports from Brazil; however, as the alleged changed circumstances predominantly
related to the domestic industry, the Commission solicited comments from interested parties on the
possibility of initiating reviews of the outstanding orders from Brazil, China, Kazakhstan, Russia,
Ukraine, and Venezuela. After reviewing the comments it received, the Commission determined on
July 28, 1998, that certain of the alleged changed circumstances were sufficient to warrant review
investigations. Among the issues that were briefed by the parties to the investigations was the fact
that, between 1995 and 1997, two domestic producers pleaded guilty to conspiring to fix prices of
commodity ferrosilicon products during certain portions of the periods of the Commission's
original investigations, and a third producer, and an officer of that producer, were convicted of
conspiring to fix prices of commodity ferrosilicon products during certain portions of the periods
of the Commission's original investigations. The Commission held a hearing in the changed
circumstance investigations on April 13, 1999. On May 21, 1999, the Commission issued a Federal
Register notice indicating that it had decided to suspend its changed circumstances review
investigations and instead reconsider the original Commission determinations.

On August 6, 1999, the Commission made negative determinations upon reconsideration in these
investigations. The Commission's determinations were appealed to the U.S. Court of International
Trade (CIT). On February 21, 2002, the CIT issued an opinion finding the Commission's
proceedings on reconsideration defective because they did not accord the parties an opportunity to
participate in a hearing specifically concerning the reconsideration proceeding. The CIT
accordingly remanded the matter to the Commission for further proceedings. As part of these
proceedings, the Commission held a hearing on June 6, 2002. In September 2002, the Commission
reached negative determinations on remand. On March 18, 2003, the CIT issued an opinion
concerning the Commission's determinations on remand which affirmed the Commission in part
and remanded in part for further proceedings, leading to today's vote.

The ITC's public report Ferrosilicon from Brazil, China, Kazakhstan, Russia, Ukraine, and
Venezuela (Views on Second Remand) (Invs. Nos. 303-TA-23, 731-TA-566-570, and 731-TA-641
(Final) (Reconsideration) (Second Remand), USITC Publication 3627, September 2003) will
contain the views of the Commission. Copies of the report are expected to be available after
October 10, 2003, by calling 202-205-1809 or from the Office of the Secretary, 500 E Street SW,
Washington, DC 20436. Requests may also be faxed to 202-205-2104.